אֵיךְ (H349) — Hebrew Lexicon

אֵיךְ

𐤀𐤉𐤊

ʼêyk

H349 particle

SILEX Entry

Definition

Interrogative or exclamatory adverb meaning 'how?'—in what manner, to what extent, or with what consequence; expressing inquiry about the manner, condition, extent, or feasibility of an action, event, or state, or expressing astonishment or lamentation. Used both in direct questions ('How has this come about?') and in exclamations highlighting the surprising, negative, or calamitous nature of events ('How are the mighty fallen!'). May rarely take a sense overlapping with 'where' in poetic or emphatic contexts.

Semantic Range

how?, in what way?, to what degree?, how is it possible?, how should...?; (used rhetorically or in lament) how dreadful!, how astonishing!, (rarely) where?

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root אַי (usually meaning 'where?'), with the addition of the כ formative. The form אֵיךְ is likely a later development of the basic interrogative אַי, specialized for manner or degree. Prolonged forms אֵיכָה and אֵיכָכָה extend nuance or poetic register. Core meaning of the root is inquiry concerning place or manner, but אֵיךְ is specifically manner-focused.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term אֵיךְ first appears in early Israelite sources as an adverb of manner. In narrative and legal passages it primarily introduces questions regarding the possibility or propriety of an action (e.g., 'How can I...?', 'How shall we...?'). In poetic and prophetic texts, particularly in laments, it acquires an expressive and sometimes rhetorical function, signaling shock, grief, or incomprehension at disaster—potentially as an opening word to dirges (cf. Lamentations 1:1: 'Eichah!'). The elongated form אֵיכָה is heavily associated with formal laments and dirges. The overlap with 'where' in Strong's is marginal; biblical usage shows that אֵיךְ usually focuses on manner, not location (for which אַיֵּה or אֵפוֹ are standard). English translations vary, often rendering as 'how' or 'how is it that,' and sometimes losing the sharpness of the term's emotional or rhetorical force.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

also אֵיכָה ; and אֵיכָכָה ; prolonged from אַי; how? or how!; also where; how, what.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

איְך (ʼêyk) — to question manner, to inquire as to how

Root איְך to question manner, to inquire as to how

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H349-03`	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How	43
`H349-05`	וְ/אֵ֖יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	how	and how?	and how	18
`H349-01`	אֵיכָ֥ה	eykhah	`HTi`	How	How?	How	17
`H349-02`	אֵיכָכָ֤ה	eykhakhah	`HTi`	how	how?	how	3
`H349-04`	וְ/אֵֽיכָכָ֤ה	veeykhakhah	`HC/Ti`	and-how	and how?	and how	1

Occurrences in Scripture

82 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H349-05`	Genesis 26:9	וְ/אֵ֥יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	and how	and how?	and how?
`H349-05`	Genesis 39:9	וְ/אֵ֨יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	How then	and how?	and how
`H349-05`	Genesis 44:8	וְ/אֵ֗יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	How then	and how?	and how
`H349-03`	Genesis 44:34	אֵיךְ֙	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	how
`H349-05`	Exodus 6:12	וְ/אֵיךְ֙	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	and how then	and how?	and how
`H349-05`	Exodus 6:30	וְ/אֵ֕יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	and how	and how?	and how?
`H349-01`	Deuteronomy 1:12	אֵיכָ֥ה	eykhah	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-01`	Deuteronomy 7:17	אֵיכָ֥ה	eykhah	`HTi`	how	How?	how
`H349-01`	Deuteronomy 12:30	אֵיכָ֨ה	eykhah	`HTi`	how	How?	How?
`H349-01`	Deuteronomy 18:21	אֵיכָה֙	eykhah	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-01`	Deuteronomy 32:30	אֵיכָ֞ה	eykhah	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-05`	Joshua 9:7	וְ/אֵ֖יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	and how	and how?	and how
`H349-03`	Judges 16:15	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	how
`H349-01`	Judges 20:3	אֵיכָ֥ה	eykhah	`HTi`	how	How?	How?
`H349-03`	1 Samuel 16:2	אֵ֣יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-03`	2 Samuel 1:5	אֵ֣יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	2 Samuel 1:14	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	2 Samuel 1:19	אֵ֖יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	How
`H349-03`	2 Samuel 1:25	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	2 Samuel 1:27	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-05`	2 Samuel 2:22	וְ/אֵיךְ֙	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	and-how	and how?	and how
`H349-03`	2 Samuel 6:9	אֵ֛יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-05`	2 Samuel 12:18	וְ/אֵ֨יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	how	and how?	and how
`H349-03`	1 Kings 12:6	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-01`	2 Kings 6:15	אֵיכָ֥ה	eykhah	`HTi`	how	How?	how
`H349-05`	2 Kings 10:4	וְ/אֵ֖יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	how	and how?	and how
`H349-03`	2 Kings 17:28	אֵ֖יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	how
`H349-05`	2 Kings 18:24	וְ/אֵ֣יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	and-how	and how?	and how
`H349-01`	Isaiah 1:21	אֵיכָה֙	eykhah	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-03`	Isaiah 14:4	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-03`	Isaiah 14:12	אֵ֛יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-03`	Isaiah 19:11	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-05`	Isaiah 20:6	וְ/אֵ֖יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	and how	and how?	and how
`H349-05`	Isaiah 36:9	וְ/אֵ֣יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	how then	and how?	and how?
`H349-03`	Isaiah 48:11	אֵ֣יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	how
`H349-05`	Jeremiah 2:21	וְ/אֵיךְ֙	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	how	and how?	and how?
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 2:23	אֵ֣יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 3:19	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	How?
`H349-01`	Jeremiah 8:8	אֵיכָ֤ה	eykhah	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 9:6	אֵ֣יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	how
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 9:18	אֵ֣יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	How?
`H349-05`	Jeremiah 12:5	וְ/אֵ֥יךְ	veeykhe	`HC/Ti`	how	and how?	and how
`H349-05`	Jeremiah 12:5	וְ/אֵ֥יךְ	veeykhe-2	`HC/Ti`	how	and how?	and how
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 36:17	אֵ֗יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	how	How?	How?
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 47:7	אֵ֣יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 48:14	אֵ֚יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How
`H349-01`	Jeremiah 48:17	אֵיכָ֤ה	eykhah	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 48:39	אֵ֥יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 48:39	אֵ֛יךְ	eykhe-2	`HTi`	How	How?	How?
`H349-03`	Jeremiah 49:25	אֵ֥יךְ	eykhe	`HTi`	How	How?	How?

← H348 Hebrew Lexicon H350 →